1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for joining cylindrical sections and more specifically to an apparatus for joining cylindrical sections of, for example, an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV).
2. Discussion of Background
In recent years, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), such as small robotic submarines, etc., have been developed. Such autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), however, are not robust nor easily serviceable. In addition, such autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are complex robots by their nature and periodic maintenance thereof is difficult. Further, such autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) do not provide easy access to the inside of the autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Moreover, such autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are produced in relatively small numbers and different customers may want different payloads integrated into the autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). However, such autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) typically are not of a modular design allowing different sections to be combined quickly, such as in the case of the swapping of a sensor section, the swapping of a battery section, etc. Finally, such autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) typically are not able to be split into different sections to facilitate shipping thereof.
Accordingly, present devices for joining cylindrical sections, such as those that could be used in autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), do not provide a robust system addressing the above-noted problems.
Accordingly, the present invention recognizes that currently no apparatus is available to allow the joining of cylindrical sections together, while performing various functions, such as indexing the different sections to each other, providing a means to separate the sections in both lateral and longitudinal directions, making a connection that is flush with the outside surface of the corresponding cylinder, providing a strong mechanical connection, etc. Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a solution to the above-noted and other problems and deficiencies associated with the joining of cylindrical sections together.
The above described and other objects are addressed by the present invention which provides a novel apparatus for joining cylindrical sections, including a semi-cylindrical profile member adapted to be coupled to a cylindrical section on an outer circumferential portion of the profile member and including an outer circumferential groove and an inner circumferential ridge; a ring-shaped compression member coupled to the profile member and including a circumferential groove on an outer portion thereof and attachment members on opposite sides thereof; and a pair of semi-cylindrical tension members forming a ring shape and each including a pair of inner circumferential ridges and attachment members on end portions thereof. The circumferential ridge of the profile member couples to the circumferential groove of the compression member. One of the circumferential ridges of one of the tension members couples to respective of the circumferential groove of the profile member. The attachment members of the tension members couple to respective of the attachment members of the compression member.
Consistent with the title of this section, the above summary is not intended to be an exhaustive discussion of all the features or embodiments of the present invention. A more complete, although not necessarily exhaustive, description of the features and embodiments of the invention is found in the section entitled xe2x80x9cDETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS.xe2x80x9d